PBA Fantasy League

Solar Sports/BTV just signed a contract with Creating Next Concepts Inc. to organize and host a Philippine Basketball Association Fantasy League. You'll have to read Brew for more details on that as the league is set to tip off in a few days' time. In the picture here are Brian Ng (Technical Director: CNC Inc.) , Rely San Agustin (Marketing Manager- Solar), and Kendrick Chong (President- CNC Inc.).

And we're going to be giving away PBA stuff here too! Hey, I'm keeping the Mark Caguioa jersey, Rels!

Years ago, I played in the San Miguel Broadcasters Invitational Basketball Tournament or BIBATO. That is essentially teams formed from the various television channels, the PBA Press Corps, and San Miguel Beer. SMC featured employees backed up by former pros Hec Calma, Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Alvin Teng, and cager/comedian Jimmy Santos. Norman Black played for the PBA Press Corps. Thank God, Bobby Parks didn’t suit up although he was listed.

I was playing for MBC-DZRH as I was with the Elizaldes then and the league was divided into Division 1 and 2. I coached my team and we won the Division 2 championship in my first year as player-coach (Hey, Coach Norm, hope you’re reading this today). Hahahahaha.

It was a blast playing in that league for two years then I stopped because of some bad knees. My single game high was 13 points when we beat RPN-9.

The highlights playing in this league was going up against the ex-pros. This was in the mid-90’s and the ex-PBA guys were still in shape. Samboy developed a deadly three-pointer that he didn’t use much while with the Beermen and he was still dunking. The SMC team was an asterisk team meaning if you lost to them it didn’t count in the standings but if you beat them… well, it added to you totals. Like anyone was going to win.

I became friends with Allan Caidic at this point (and we’d do work together later on for LEAD) and let me say it was no fun guarding him outside the arc. He hit two treys on me one of which was a four-point play and I went to the bench. Hahahahaha. He smiled at me and said, “Sorry, pare. Lunch na lang tayo mamaya.” Of course, I took him up on his offer. Hahahaha. Na-shootan mo ako that’s the price you pay.

Against the PBA Press Corps, damn, we’d beat those guys except that they had Norman patrolling the lane. On a two-on-one fastbreak I thought we had him but he didn’t bite and he swatted my shot away. I told the coach about it the other week and he laughed about those days. Sorry too is what he said. Hahahaha. You owe me lunch, coach. Hahahahaha.

During the Legends Game between Ateneo and La Salle, I was Deputy Commish to Dave Dualan and during one practice at Green Meadows, the ex-Blue Eagles were a man short and I had to play. Man, I found myself on the same court as Jolas, Steve Watson, Chito Afable, Eric Reyes, Chito Mistades, Gabby Cui and a few others. I played for eight minutes before Gene Afable and a host of others arrived. And it was a blast! Scored four points too! Hahahaha. Si Dave Dualan ang nagpa-lunch.

Other “highlights” against ex-pros or very good teams… playing against Pido Jarencio and Freddie Hubalde at the Ateneo College covered courts one afternoon. My subdivision team going up against the LSGH Juniors squad (we lost). Playing Sunday ball with my old ABL team where we had as part of our group Ding Dong Avanzado (who is now in the US), Bimbo Cerrudo, and Purefoods Coach Ryan Gregorio.